Chapter 13 – The Dad’s Decision
1109 Words
“Katie.”
Neil’s voice croaked as he opened his eyes wide. His heart was pounding hard against his chest, fear eating him even though he realized it was nothing but a…
Nightmare.
“Damn it,” he closed his eyes briefly. Then froze.
The warm and comforting sensation of his arms wrapped around the woman’s soft and delicate figure woke him completely. His mouth parted as he racked his brain what had happened last night. The gentle curve of Brianna’s body against him was unmistakable, leaving no doubt in his mind that something intimate happened between them.
This time, he was sure his heart stopped beating.
“Mmm…” Brianna moaned sweetly, snuggling closer to him and craning her neck to look at Neil. “Good morning.”
His lips parted, shock overwhelming him. He racked his brain, thinking of what happened last night.
“No. Oh, no!” He grasped her arm and pushed her to free himself.
A peal of laughter followed after a soft thud when Brianna fell on the floor. Neil blinked rapidly, his eyes on the naked woman trying to get up.
Brianna expected to be angry, but she could not help laughing, amused at the shock and panic in Neil’s face.
“What happened?” he asked, almost not breathing. He had never been drunk in his lifetime, but last night, he was sure he was still sober. Tipsy, yes, but not to the point of not remembering what happened.
“What happened?” copied Brianna, snorting as she rose to her feet. “Should I fill you up?” She shook her head, picking up his shirt and putting it on. “You, my love, filled me up last night,” she muttered, her voice sexy but mocking.
“No. You’re lying,” he murmured, his eyes wide as he denied everything she said. He snorted, shaking his head. “Nothing… happened,” he continued, almost choking. “You’re making this all up.”
He watched her bend down to pick up his pants and boxers brief, expecting a smirk on her lips. But as she turned around, tears moistened her cheeks. He was ready to throw fire and mock her, but his mouth could not utter even a single word.
“Because it’s me?” she said, pursing her trembling lips. A scoff escaped her mouth, lightly dabbing her fingers on the cheeks. “I’m not on pills. And you didn’t use protection last night, Neil. What if I get pregnant?” She sniffled and pretended to cry softly as she took her phone and dialed a number. "I'm telling Dad," she said, pressing the phone to her ear.
Pregnant? His eyes blinked rapidly. A baby was never a problem to him, but Neil was sure he didn’t want Brianna to be the mother.
“Daddy!”
He heard her whimper, mumbling within her cries as she told her father something happened between them and that he must take responsibility for what happened.
Neil opened his mouth, but no words came out.
He wasn’t sure whether the call was connected, but it was as if Brianna had magic; the door creaked open, and Robert Thomson appeared in the doorway with a phone pressed on his ear. Like him, shock sprawled his face, his eyes on her daughter, then on him.
Brianna faked a cry when he denied something had happened between them. Knowing that it was part of their agreement that Neil must not sleep with her, she called her father, telling him Neil must take responsibility for his actions.
“What the… hell?” Robert’s shock was replaced with confusion and then anger. His daughter, wearing nothing but a man’s shirt, and Neil, with pants covering him, already explained everything.
Neil could hardly speak. It was as if his heart was in his throat, pounding hard and choking him. He shook his head slowly.
“It’s… not…” what you think, he wanted to add, but when Robert glared at him, he swallowed back the words.
Robert closed his eyes, breathing hard, controlling his anger. His daughter’s assistant called him this morning and told him she could not reach Brianna and had no idea where she went. He did not bite the panic in her words because one of his bodyguards followed his daughter, and Ador, whose sole job was to report her whereabouts, said she had not left the building. To appease Elaine and to talk to Neil, he went to the office, not expecting his daughter’s little drama. He walked toward his daughter, his hands grasping Brianna’s shoulders.
“What do you want this time, Brianna?” he murmured, gritting his teeth. “Money? Stop working here?”
“Marriage,” she answered quickly.
As if burnt, Robert released her. He scoffed and muttered angrily, “Are you out of your mind? No!”
Brianna was expecting this already, but her father knew she was not easy and would not give up on getting what she wanted. She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward.
“No?” She snorted and continued to whisper. “If you don’t marry me to him, I’ll tell Mom and Bailey about your affair with Theresa.” She glanced at Neil, gaping at them. He was probably wondering what they were talking about. “I’ll tell them Neil’s your son.” She rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue. “I wonder what my perfect sister would say?”
Robert opened his mouth, but before he could explain, his daughter had already turned her back on him and exited the door. He pressed his lips together and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Mr. Thomson, let me explain -”
Neil swallowed hard when Robert turned around but did not expect him to look pale. He wondered what Brianna said, making the business tycoon look weak and helpless. He cleared his throat and tried again.
“Mr. Thomson, please, believe me. Nothing happened between us,” he said and paused, thinking. The thought of Katie hurt and disappointed turned his world upside down. “Let me explain -”
Robert shook his head and let out a deep sigh. “You have nothing to explain, Neil. I believe you.”
Neil blinked, repeating Robert’s words in his mind and wondering if he had heard it correctly.
“She’s my daughter, Neil. I know she set you up to get back to me,” Robert muttered, his voice down and frustrated. Sighing, he closed his eyes and uttered the words he didn’t wish to say. “But... You have to marry Brianna.”
- Writer
